Icek Ajzen
My research deals with the concept of attitudes and, in particular, the relation between verbal attitudes and overt behavior. In addition to continuing my work on the theory of planned behavior, I am currently interested in three main issues.
Relation Between Intentions and Actions
Being hypothetical, intentions tend to overestimate readiness to perform desirable behaviors and underestimate readiness to perform undesirable behaviors. My research deals with the possibility of correcting these biases in the context of contingent value measurement, and with the role of implementation intentions.
Automatic/Habitual versus Reasoned Behavior
Although incorporating automatic processes, the theory of planned behavior generally assumes reasoned processes underlying attitudes and actions. In contrast, strong and unmediated links between prior and later behavior imply habituation in a process that bypasses intentions. My work focuses on the role of accuracy in perceived behavioral control as a possible explanatory mechanism.
Information Accuracy or Knowledge
Accurate information is considered necessary for effective action, yet empirical evidence provides little support for a relation between knowledge and behavior. My research explores the differences between beliefs, information, and knowledge -- and the role of knowledge in the prediction of intentions and behavior.
Primary Interests:
- Applied Social Psychology
- Attitudes and Beliefs
- Causal Attribution
- Communication, Language
- Health Psychology
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Persuasion, Social Influence
- Prejudice and Stereotyping
- Research Methods, Assessment
- Social Cognition
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The Theory of Planned Behavior: Focus on Persuasion
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52:51 The Theory of Planned Behavior: Focus on Persuasion
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52:21 The Theory of Planned Behavior: Issues and Challenges
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51:52 The Reasoned Action Approach to Changing Human Behavior
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1:10:04 2010 Dondena Research Meeting Presentation
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Books:
- Ajzen, I. (2005). Attitudes, personality, and behavior (2nd ed.). Milton-Keynes, England: Open University Press (McGraw-Hill).
- Ajzen, I., Albarracín, D., & Hornik, R. (Eds.). (2007). Prediction and change of health behavior: Applying the reasoned action approach. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
- Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1980). Understanding attitudes and predicting social behavior. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
- Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (2010). Predicting and changing behavior: The reasoned action approach. New York: Psychology Press.
- Fishbein, M., & Ajzen, I. (1975). Belief, attitude, intention, and behavior: An introduction to theory and research. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
Journal Articles:
- Ajzen, I. (2002). Perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, locus of control, and the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 32, 665-683.
- Ajzen, I. (2001). Nature and operation of attitudes. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 27-58.
- Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179-211.
- Ajzen, I., Brown, T. C., & Carvahal, F. (2004). Explaining the discrepancy between intentions and actions: The case of hypothetical bias in contingent valuation. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 30, 1108-1121.
- Bamberg, S., Ajzen, I., & Schmidt, P. (2003). Choice of travel mode in the theory of planned behavior: The roles of past behavior, habit, and reasoned action. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 25, 175-188.
- Brown, T. C., Ajzen, I., & Hrubes, D. (2003). Further tests of entreaties to avoid hypothetical bias in referendum contingent valuation. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 46, 353-361.
- Davis, L. E., Ajzen, I., Saunders, J., & Williams, T. (2002). The decision of African American students to complete high school: An application of the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Educational Psychology, 94,810-819.
Other Publications:
- Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (2005). The influence of attitudes on behavior. In D. Albarracín, B. T. Johnson, & M. P. Zanna (Eds.), The handbook of attitudes (pp. 173-221). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
- Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (2000). Attitudes and the attitude-behavior relation: Reasoned and automatic processes. In W. Stroebe & M. Hewstone (Eds.), European Review of Social Psychology (pp. 1-33). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
- Ajzen, I., & Gilbert Cote, N. (2008). Attitudes and the prediction of behavior. In W. D. Crano & R. Prislin (Eds.), Attitudes and attitude change (pp. 289-311). New York: Psychology Press.
Courses Taught:
- Attitudes and Opinions
- Psychology of Persuasion
- Research Methods
Icek Ajzen
Department of Psychology
135 Hicks Way, Tobin Hall
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-9271
United States of America
- Phone: (413) 545-0509
- Fax: (413) 545-0996